Slow Going

I have been a bit slow about posting here and I was feeling guilty as heck. But lately I have decided to do away with the guilt and just post as much as I can and when I can. I think the pressure to perform sucked out the fun and adventure, which is the reason I had decided to start blogging again. I am looking for my voice, so I have to acknowledge it is going to take a bit of bumping around for a bit.

So bear with me.

When blogging first burst onto the scene several SEVERAL years ago, I had two blogs going and posted almost daily. Then the kids graduated, I went back to school for my BFA (Bachelor's of Fine Art), graduated and now I am working from my studio trying to find my footing as an older artist. There is so much art already in the world, how does one find their "voice". But then, how does one find their "voice" in a world that is crowded with so many other voices trying to compete for air? It is a question I have been thinking about a lot lately. Especially in light of the bizarre mean spirited gangs that pop up on social media when a person does not fall into line with the views of a certain group of people.

 I have been sad at the erosion of freedom that has occurred and the group think that has started to define social media. While I find Facebook and Instagram a great source of articles, I have noticed a general mean spirited element that has soaked the platforms. Not as bad with Instagram since it is visual based and I can easily unfollow people that start spouting their rhetoric of hate or meanness, but definitely on Facebook.

This gang mentality that is entering Facebook and Twitter, which I easily deleted, made me take a long look at the way I allow Facebook to use me. Let's be real. Facebook is a platform for advertising and mining data for profit. It has been for a long time. Has it been a fun way to keep up with people?

Yes.

 But lately it seems to be a more invasive form of mindless entertainment and stress. I watched an excellent TED talk last night and several more that talk about social media and how it has changed us in ways we may not like. The first one is about how we are "connected" but more alone than ever. I highly recommend the books by this speaker in addition to listening to her talks. Yes, I just said BOOKS!  That is another thing that I have been focusing on lately.

And this speaker

And then there is this guy talking about why our screens make us less happy:

There are hundred of other videos that talk about the cost analysis of not using social media carefully. I used to love Facebook for the "connection", but after the election, the tune changed. People became bullies and even tried to initiate campaigns to ruin the lives of others that did not fit in the little boxes. This is insane. Hidden behind the safety of their screens, I have seen people make horrifically mean comments to others that I KNOW they would NOT say if they were actually facing that person. And it has caused me to really examine how I chose to spend my time. Cyber bullying has lead to suicides, with the bullies safely smug in the outcome and their belief that they were not the cause. They were and they still are. All of this concerns me for the future, so I will take back my share of Facebook's profit in my usage and assert control over how I use it and how much life it sucks from me. Because in reality, the time we give social media is time from our life clock. This is an excellent talk that made me think a little more about what all this has taken from me:

So I am making choices.

I have been making a conscious effort to limit my time spent on Facebook in particular. It hasn't been easy. The truth is that I have become addicted to the hits and bolts of  hormone rush that one gets with any crutch. It is a weird thing to realize that this has been carefully orchestrated by Facebook in order to gain time.

My time.

I am taking that back with writing, drawing, planting green things, spending time with my dogs and family, going outside and walking and taking time to learn new things, such as refreshing my skill at throwing actual pots, cups and other items on a pottery wheel. Also daydreaming, sketching, journaling, cooking from scratch, trying new recipes, reading books. REAL books. 

The tactile sensation of holding a book in your hand is something that I have always been in tune with, but when I was in college, I noticed that people just do not read the way I used to when I was younger. It is my understanding that this worrisome trend is slowly being reversed. but it does seem like the lure of video and electronic books was a rage for way too long. I understand the convenience of electronic books of you don't want all those physical things hanging around, but there is just no substitute for being able to sit down and feel the paper as you turn a page.

So I want to end this post by thanking you for spending your time reading my thoughts. I appreciate it. This blog is my space to interact and think things out. I would love to hear your thought.